Post driver



p 21, 1965 c. E. SHRINER ETAL 3,207,236

POST DRIVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 15, 1965 FIGURE 4 INVENTORS CLYDE E. SHRINER BY GEORGE G. SHRINER Sept. 21, 1965 C. E. SHRINER ETAL POST DRIVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 15, 1963 INVENTORS CLYDE E. SHRINER GEORGE G. SHRINER FIGURE-2 FIGURE'3 United States Patent 3,207,236 POST DRIVER Clyde E. Shriner and George G. Shriner, both of Rte. 2., Colville, Wash. Filed Apr. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 272,907 Claims. (Cl. 173-53 Our present invention relates to a device for driving posts int-o the earth by means of a gravity operated drive hammer and more particularly to an improved hammer lifting mechanism in a post driver.

It is an object of the present invention to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character which may be readily mounted .on a transporting vehicle, as for example, a conventional farm truck or .tractor and yet has a source of power independent of the mobilizing vehicle.

Another important object of the invention lies in the provision of a post driver of the reciprocating hammer type which has a drive mechanism including one or more endless belts secured by a releasable fastening means to elevate the hammer so that the belt may be progressively rotated with respect to the operating flight of the belt thus distributing the wear evenly about the circumference of the belt.

Still another important object of the invention lies in the provision of a post driver of the character set forth 'which includes a novel means for drivingly interconnecting and releasing the belt with respect to a powered driving sheave.

It is still another important object of the invention to provide a post driver of the character set forth which is comparatively simple to construct, strong, durable, compact and may be manufactured at a minimum cost.

The foregoing objects, together with other objects and advantages, will become apparent during the reading of the following specification wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed showing the details of construction and operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation showing a post .driver constructed in accordance with the present invention supported by an articulate linkage;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view upon an enlarged scale taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 2-2 of FIGURE 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 33 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 44 of FIG- URE 1.

Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, the reference character designates the supporting frame of a mobilizing vehicle, as for example, a farm truck or tractor, and includes a laterally horizontally extending support member 12.

A tubular standard 14 is supported at its lower end on a channel member 16 and is secured perpendicular thereto by angle braces 18. The standard 14 is releasably se cured by bolt and nut fastening means 20 to the horizontal member 12 and is further braced by an angle brace 22 which secures at any convenient point (not shown) to the supporting vehicle 10.

A perpendicular substantially horizontal tube 24 is provided with a releasable clamp 26, which by reason of the bifurcation 28 enables one to expand and contract the end portion of the arm 24 by selectively loosening and tightening the fastening nut and bolt combination 30.

R-otatably received within the arm 24 is a tubular jour nal arm 32 which may be rotated by releasing clamp 26 and fixed against relative rotation by tightening the fastening means 30.

At its end, the journal arm 32 is provided with a supporting bale 34 which is pivotally associated with tower support bars 36-456 by means of axially aligned spaced friction journals 38-38. The journals 38 each comprise a bolt 38b and a nut 3811 combination which may be selectively loosened and tightened to lock or permit frictional rotation as desired.

The tower support bars 36-46 are welded or otherwise secured to a pair of spaced parallel rails 4040. These are seen to be tubular in section but it will be understood other configurations may be employed, if found to be economically desired. The rails 4040 are secured at their upper and lower ends as by angle member 42 (FIGURE 1) and constitute an upright tower indicated in its entirety by the numeral 41.

At the upper end of the tower 41 a sheave support frame 44 is provided and mounts a pair of pillow blocks 46 which in turn journal an axle 47 of a first sheave 48.

At the lower end of the tower 41, we provide a support frame 50 which carries a rock frame 52 journaled for tilting movements on an axis 54 substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tower 41.

The rock frame 52 is provided with .an operating lever 56 by the gnasping of which one may manually tilt the rock frame for the purpose hereinafter disclosed. Mounted on the rock frame is a prime mover or power means 58 which preferably is a small air-cooled gasoline engine, but other sources of rotary power will clearly suiiice. A drive sheave 60 is journaled on an axle 62 which is substantially parallel to the axis of the first sheave 48. The sheaves 48 and 60 are disposed in coplanar relationship. The axis 62 (FIGURE 1) is removed from the tilt axis 54 so that tilting movement of the rock frame 52 effects movement of the sheave 60 toward and away from the sheave 48.

One or more flexible members 64 are trained about the sheaves 48 and 60 and have an operating flight at 64' which extends from end to end of the tower 41.

In operation, as the lever 56 is moved from the full line position of FIGURE 1 (wherein the belts 64 are loose) to the dotted line position, the belts are tautened to draw them into driving engagement with the sheave 60. Therefore rotary motion supplied to the sheave 60 from the source of power 58 will cause the sheaves to rotate in the direction of the arrows 60' and 48' causing the flight 64 to move or travel upwardly of the tower 41. When the lever 56 is released, the overbalancing weight of the motor 58 causes the rock frame 52 to tilt back and slacken the belt 64 thus releasing the belt from driving connection with the she-ave 68.

A drop hammer 66 is fabricated from a length of channel metal 68 and as seen in FIGURES 2 and 4, is of suflicient width to extend laterally across the spaced parallel rails 40. Upper and lower angular guide flanges 7070 are welded or otherwise secured to the channel 68 and together therewith form guideways which slidingly confine the rails 40 to effect movement of the hammer from end to end of the tower 41. Fastened as by welding or other suitable means at the upper end of the channel member 68, we provide a weighted head 72 which eX- tend-s horizontally outwardly therefrom and provides a striking face 74 adapted to strike the upper end of the post 76 being driven.

The flight 64 of the belt 64 is, by releasable fastener 78, fixed to the hammer so that when the belt 64 is powered for movement as previously described, the hammer is raised to its uppermost position as shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawing. Release of the lever 56 will then release the belt 64 and thus the hammer 66, so that by gravitational action it will drop upon the post 76 and successively will drive it into the earth.

The releasable fastener 78 comprises a pressure plate 80 which is forced into clamping engagement toward the channel member 68 with the belt flight 64' clamped therebetween by means of a bolt 82 .threa-dedly extending through a reaction pressure plate 84 confined by lips 86 of the guide flanges 70 but unattached thereto. It will thus be seen that as the belts 64 begin to sustain wear at certain areas the clamp 78 may be released, the belts rotated circumferen-tiaily a desired distance and reclamped to provide means for utilizing the belts 64 to their maximum capabilities.

While we have shown two belts 64, it will be obvious that more or less may be employed if found desirable or necessary.

In FIGURES 2 and 3 we have provided a latch means 90 which comprises a tilt bar 92 having a dog 94 movable from the full line position to the dot-ted line position of :FIGURE 3 or to the full line position of FIGURE 2 and engages with a latch 96 welded or otherwise formed on the channel member 68. A handle 98 of a weight and configuration as shown is provided to automatically move the dog 94 from the full line position of FIGURE 2 to the broken line position so that any raising of the hammer 72 will release it for proper gravitational action to drive the post. The ends of the bar 92 are supported for rocking motion in saddles 100, welded or otherwise integrally secured to the bars 36.

Having thus described our invention, we desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States the followmg:

1. In a post driver of the type in which a post is driven into the earth .by the gravitational action of a drive hammer, the hammer being raised by a flexible member which passes over a first sheave mounted upon a tower, the improvement comprising:

a drive sheave; said member being at least one endless belt of nonstretching flexible material fastened to the hammer and further being trained about said drive sheave;

said drive sheave being disposed coplanar with respect to said first sheave;

means mounting said drive sheave with respect to said tower for selected movement toward and away from said first sheave for alternately drivingly engaging and releasing said belt; and

power means drivingly connected to rotate said drive sheave to raise said hammer when the drive sheave is drivingly engaging said belt.

2. In a post driver of the type in which a post is driven into the earth by the gravitational action of a drive hammer, the hammer being raised by a flexible member which passes over a first sheave mounted upon a tower, the improvement comprising:

a drive sheave coplanar with respect to said first sheave;

said member being at least one endless belt of nonstretching flexible material trained about said sheaves; fastening means fixing said belt to said hammer and releasable, whereby to admit of manually selecting the point of fastening circumferentially of said belt; means mounting said drive sheave with respect to said tower for selective movement toward and away from said first sheave for alternately drivingly engaging and releasing said belt; and

means drivingly connected to rotate said drive sheave to raise said hammer when said drive sheave is drivingly engaging said belt.

3. A post driver of the type in which the post is driven into the earth by the gravitational action of a drive hammer, comprising:

an articulately supported tower having a pair of laterally spaced parallel rails;

a hammer journaled for sliding movement over a path from end to end of said rails;

coplanar sheaves j-ournaled one adjacent to each end of said tower on substantially parallel axes;

an endless flexible non-stretching belt trained about said coplanar sheaves and having one flight disposed parallel to the sliding path and in proximity to said hammer;

a releasable fastening means fixing said belt flight to said hammer;

power means driving at least one of said sheaves in the direction capable of raising said hammer; and

means for manually tautening and slackening said belt to effect intermittent driving engagement with said last named sheave to elevate and release said hammer.

4. The invention defined in claim 3 and further characterized by:

latch means on said tower releasably supporting said hammer in a raised position.

5. In a post driver of the type in which a post is driven into the earth by the gravitational action of a drive hammer, the hammer being raised by a flexible member which passes over a first sheave mounted upon a tower, the 1mprovement comprising:

a rock frame fixed for tilting movements on a substantially transverse axis relative to said tower;

a drive sheave coplanar with respect to said first sheave and being journaled for rotation on said rock frame on an axis removed from said transverse axis;

said flexible member being at least one endless belt of non-stretching flexible material trained about said sheaves;

fastening means fixing said belt to said hammer and releasable, whereby to admit of manually selecting the point of fastening circ-umferentially of said belt;

power means mounted upon said rock frame whereby to tilt coincidentally with said drive sheave; and operably interconnected to rotate said drive sheave; and

an operating lever for manually tilting said rock frame to drivingly engage said drive sheave with respect to said belt whereby said hammer is selectively raised and lowered.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 13,90 0 4/7'1 Marshall 100-265 918,944 4/09 Aunes 17 3-124 1,005,271 10/11 Mills 100-267 1,455,345 5/23 Maimin 74-24213 2,378,13 1 6/45 Dirksen et al 173-124 2,487,530 11/49 Dirksen 173-124 3,033,297 5/62 Hall 173-44 BROUGHTON G. DURHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A POST DRIVER OF THE TYPE IN WHICH A POST IS DRIVEN INTO THE EARTH BY THE GRAVITATIONAL ACTION OF A DRIVE HAMMER, THE HAMMER BEING RAISED BY A FLEXIBLE MEMBER WHICH PASSES OVER A FIRST SHEAVE MOUNTED UPON A TOWER, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: A DRIVE SHEAVE; SAID MEMBER BEING AT LEAST OINE ENDLESS BELT OF NONSTRECTCHING FLEXIBLE MATERIAL FASTENED TO THE HAMMER AND FURTHER BEING TRAINED ABOUT SAID DRIVE SHEAVE; SAID DRIVE SHEAVE BEING DISPOSED COPLANAR WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIRST SHEAVE; MEANS MOUNTING SAID DRIVE SHEAVE WITH RESPECT TO SAID TOWER FOR SELECTED MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID FIRST SHEAVE FOR ALTERNATLEY DRIVINGLY ENGAGING AND RELEASING SAID BELT; AND POWER MEANS DRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO ROTATE SAID DRIVE SHEAVE TO RAISE SAID HAMMER WHEN THE DRIVE SHEAVE IS DRIVINGLY ENGAGING SAID BELT. 